Categories of Membership
Someone
who provides the bride with full-service wedding coordination, consultation
and/or direction. Please see membership
requirements. (*Three are needed).
Each
additional member from the same company is an auxiliary member. The first
member pays the full rate for the category and must maintain primary membership.
A
company who manufactures or markets nationwide or worldwide, to wedding
professionals or to the bride. Please see
corporate
membership benefits.
Membership Requirements
Most new members start at the Novice level. If you already have completed
any three of the items below, you can bypass Novice and join as a Consultant.
To do this, you need to include the appropriate documentation. All applications
for Consultant membership are subject to review and approval. At least one option must be from the first group.
Group 1
-
ABC Professional Development Program (counts as two requirements when all five courses and the final exam have been completed successfully)
-
Weddings As a Business (with test counts as one requirement)
-
ABC seminar or
workshop
-
ABC Annual Conference
-
Apprentice at
two weddings, with recommendation from supervising ABC member(s)
Courses offered
by state coordinators that involve at least six hours of class work
Other wedding-related courses (subject to ABC approval)
Group 2
Business license
or tax ID number (two years)
Current business
plan or marketing plan
Evidence of a
business phone (two years)
Annual reports/operating
reports (two years)
Business taxes
(two years)
Two media exposures
within the last year
Accounts established
with three national suppliers
Evidence of advertising
for two years
Referrals from
six brides within the past year
Standards
of Membership
(You
must agree to these in order to obtain membership.)
Member will:
-
Supply background information about
the member and his/her business, or other information essential to the
Association's responsibility to provide factual reports on the profession.
-
Cooperate with Association activities
and efforts to promote and improve the professionalism of the bridal business.
-
Respond rapidly and honestly to
all complaints forwarded by the Association.
-
Supply, on request, the evidence
on which any advertising is based.
-
Use the Associations name and logo
only as authorized.
-
Pay all association bills in a
timely manner.
Code
of Ethics:
Members will...
-
Represent each client fairly and
honestly, providing all agreed-to services in a timely and cost-efficient
manner.
-
Establish reasonable, proper fees
for services and provide written estimates to each client.
-
Use honest factual advertising.
-
Deal with employees fairly, in
an unbiased manner
-
Operate an establishment that is
a credit to the Association and the community.
-
Disclose to clients any payment
received from suppliers.
For all levels, membership must be maintained in good standing. Lapses
in membership are not credited to the time requirements for advancement.
Membership
and Education Synopsis
There are two tracks within the Association. If you start as novice
member, you need to complete three of the options listed in the Membership
Requirements Section to upgrade to Consultant level membership.
Separate from this is the Professional Development Program track with
designations of Professional Bridal Consultant™, Accredited Bridal Consultant™,
and Master Bridal Consultant™, earned by completing various phases in the
Professional Development Program. It is possible to be a Professional Bridal
Consultant™ while still being a Novice member.
Upgrading may be done at any time during your membership year. Dues
are pro-rated. Renewal as Novice member may be permitted on a case-by-case
basis.
The Association also offers a course called "Wedding As A Business",
completion of it can count towards upgrade to the Consultant level but
not towards Professional Bridal Consultants™. "Weddings As A Business"
is a course that assists you in writing your business plan. It covers everything
from fees to accepting the first bride. There is a test at the end which
is basically your business plan, but it is not necessary for it to be graded.
You can have it graded by the Director of the Education for an additional
fee.
Vendor Member Benefits
Vendors are those who handle part of the wedding. A florist, photographer
or caterer is an example of a vendor.
As a member, you can benefit from the networking system, and educational
programs. Working with other professionals who are members of the same
Association can only help your business grow.
Using these trademarked titles will show your brides that you are a
professional and understand their special needs.
Vendors can join just as a Vendor Member and need not progress through
the ranks.
Professional
Wedding VendorTM
Requirements:
- Renew membership at least once either as a
Consultant or Vendor member.
- Letters of recommendation:
-from three peers, one must be
a consultant
-from three brides you have worked
with in the
last year
- Copy of your business plan
- Total of three out of four:
-copy of two ads promoting the
wedding aspect of
your business
-copy of the promotional material
you send
your brides
-media coverage not more than
a year old
-copy of a membership certificate
from another
professional or trade association
- Processing fee
Accredited
Wedding VendorTM
Requirements:
- Three years cumulative Association membership
- Three years as a Professional Wedding Vendor™
- Attendance at one Business of Brides (annual
conference) or local seminar
- Letters of recommendation:
-from three peers, one must be
a consultant
-from three brides you have worked
with in the
last year
- Essay on assigned topic
- Processing fee
Master
Wedding VendorTM
Requirements:
- Six years cumulative Association membership
- Six years as an Accredited Wedding Vendor™
- Presenter at a state meeting of Business of Brides
(annual conference)
- Publication in a nationwide magazine to the bride or
to the trade
- Letters of recommendation:
-from three peers, one must be
a consultant
-from three brides you have worked
with in the
last year
- Presentation of your maketing material to a panel of Master Bridal Consultants during an annual conference
- Processing fee
Networking
Benefits
A principal Vendor membership benefit is the ability to network with
other wedding professionals, especially consultants. Bridal consultants
are always looking to expand their selection of reputable vendors.
By expanding your own contacts through local networking meetings, you
increase your business opportunities by getting pre-qualified leads from
consultant members.
Corporate
Benefits
Access to the Association's databases including the "hot list"
of members.
Special rates for:
-newsletter inserts
-newsletter advertising
-stuffing services
-data bases on disk
Marketing program to help develop your marketing program from
people who have been in the industry for almost 20 years.
Evaluation program that may give you an endorsement to use in
your marketing (additional fee).
Media relations for press releases to the media you select as
well as referrals to the media in response to queries.
Guidance in developing promotional material.
Free listing in the Association's newsletter twice a year.
Promote your special offers to Association members*.
*Member names are only available
to other members
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